Hot Habanero Cheddar

[pastpawn]

I added minced habaneros and jalepenos to this cheddar.  Also, some chili powder.  I like spicy cheese in a dry cheddar.  It's aging now in vac bag.  No idea what to expect.  We'll see in a few months.  Cheers!

[Spoons]

  No idea what to expect. 

I'll give you a hint... Hawt! LOL. Nice cheese and welcome to the community

[John@PC]

Looks like a "stop, drop and roll" cheese.  Pretty, but it's got to be powerful

[pastpawn]

Looks like a "stop, drop and roll" cheese.  Pretty, but it's got to be powerful

I was hoping for something similar to this.  If you haven't had it, it's very good.  I semi-dry white cheddar, fairly sharp, with heat that isn't f'ing around.  If you haven't had it, give it a try. 

[Geodyne]

Hi pastpawn, and welcome!

How did you treat the peppers before you put them in the cheese? Did you microwave them at all?

I ask because people usually only use dried herbs and vegetables for long-aged cheeses, to reduce the risk of mould incursion or the vegetable going off in the cheese as it ages. Many of the commercial flavoured cheeses you can buy are made by making and ageing a cheese, then remilling with the flavouring prior to a second press.

I love a good hot flavoured cheese as well. I make fajita-flavoured  and smoked paprika and chilli Cheshires which have worked well, but only with dried spice.

[pastpawn]

Hi pastpawn, and welcome!

How did you treat the peppers before you put them in the cheese? Did you microwave them at all?

I ask because people usually only use dried herbs and vegetables for long-aged cheeses, to reduce the risk of mould incursion or the vegetable going off in the cheese as it ages. Many of the commercial flavoured cheeses you can buy are made by making and ageing a cheese, then remilling with the flavouring prior to a second press.

I love a good hot flavoured cheese as well. I make fajita-flavoured  and smoked paprika and chilli Cheshires which have worked well, but only with dried spice.

I know!  Right after I made it, I could have kicked myself.  I should have at least sprayed with starsan.  I'm a dummy.  The inside of those things was probably sterile and the outside could have been taken care of SO EASILY.

I should know better.  I'm not new to this kind of thing. I've propagated yeast from the skin of fruit in my neighborhood.  I know the world's covered with bacteria.  I was just excited by the novelty of my new hobby.  I guess I'll get a bunch of dumb mistakes out of the way immediately.  I'll keep this thread updated, regardless of the outcome - hold me to it!

DER!

[Schnecken Slayer]

It just means you will have to eat it quickly and make another one. 
Have a cheese for a wonderfully vibrant cheddar.

[John@PC]

Here's a link to a Monteray Jack cheese Eric did not long ago and it inspired me to do one (see my pic below).  I used crushed red pepper and minced jalapeno and boiled like he recommended with about 1 cup of water and added both to the curds after draining.  I cut the cheese a week ago and it's still young (1 and a half months) but I do wish I added more pepper - only one diced jalapeno, but we grow very HOT ones here.  Next time I'll drive an hour up to Rock Hill SC where there is a grower that has the hottest ghost peppers in the world  ! And just in case you think I'm blowing cold smoke here's the website that also has the greatest name ever .

[pastpawn]

Here's a link to a Monteray Jack cheese Eric did not long ago and it inspired me to do one (see my pic below).  I used crushed red pepper and minced jalapeno and boiled like he recommended with about 1 cup of water and added both to the curds after draining.  I cut the cheese a week ago and it's still young (1 and a half months) but I do wish I added more pepper - only one diced jalapeno, but we grow very HOT ones here.  Next time I'll drive an hour up to Rock Hill SC where there is a grower that has the hottest ghost peppers in the world  ! And just in case you think I'm blowing cold smoke here's the website that also has the greatest name ever .

haha, PuckerButt.  I get the idea, and I believe it. 

Thanks for the link to Eric's cheese.  Man that looks good.  I sure hope mine comes out edible at all.  I have no hopes of getting a cheese like his. 

This forum has some really talented (obsessed) members.  My kind of place.  Thanks John!

[Spoons]

I made another one of my pepper jacks on Sept 27th, so I won't make another one before December, but in the meantime I bought these 2 beauties (see pic Scotch Bonnet and Ghost Pepper). Haha! I don't plan to overuse them though. Just a bit at first, like: 1.5 tbsp crushed chili peppers + 1/4 tsp scotch bonnet. Taking baby steps here 

Scoville scale:
     10 000 - Jalapeno
     50 000 - Chili peppers
   350 000 - Scotch Bonnet and Habanero
1 000 000 - Ghost pepper
2 000 000 - John's crazy SC Reaper pepper The cheese will melt in the cave with that stuff in it...

[pastpawn]

I made another one of my pepper jacks on Sept 27th, so I won't make another one before December, but in the meantime I bought these 2 beauties (see pic Scotch Bonnet and Ghost Pepper). Haha! I don't plan to overuse them though. Just a bit at first, like: 1.5 tbsp crushed chili peppers + 1/4 tsp scotch bonnet. Taking baby steps here 

Scoville scale:
     10 000 - Jalapeno
     50 000 - Chili peppers
   350 000 - Scotch Bonnet and Habanero
1 000 000 - Ghost pepper
2 000 000 - John's crazy SC Reaper pepper The cheese will melt in the cave with that stuff in it...

Dayum.  Wax your bunghole, there's gonna be fireworks.

[John@PC]

Dayum.  Wax your bunghole, there's gonna be fireworks.

I'm not sure what I can add here but this: pastpawn you are a welcome and refreshing addition to the forum with quite "succinct" descriptions  .  By the way I actually ordered some of the Carolina Reaper (for my sons for Christmas): $20 for 2oz.  .  Need to order an eyedropper from Amazon now for this wicked stuff.  Coming in 2015: "Carolina Reaper Jack".  Eric will be so jealous!.

[Spoons]

  Coming in 2015: "Carolina Reaper Jack".  Eric will be so jealous!.

How about "Jack The Reaper"

[pastpawn]

  Coming in 2015: "Carolina Reaper Jack".  Eric will be so jealous!.

How about "Jack The Reaper"

haha, love it. 

[qdog1955]

 Some input on "ghost peppers"---some learned the hard way.
  We have a local high school teacher that makes the best hot sauce I have ever had---3 types--cayenne---habenero---bhut jolokia( ghost pepper)-----he grows acres of his own peppers.
  Got a couple ghost peppers last summer, thought I'd try them in chorizo sausage make---now I like hot but these are insane---so some warnings.
Might be smart to ware rubber gloves, goggles and respirator when cutting and handling these peppers.
If you fry or steam them----you may want to do this outside----the fumes will permeate the house for hours, burning every ones eyes,nose,throat and skin. This torture can last for 12 hours and nothing we tried would stop it.
Lastly----experiment with how hot these are--a little, goes a long. long way. It would be a shame to expend so much time and energy---only to find the end product unbearable. Like my 15#'s of sausage.
Qdog